Sweet Arrest (12 page)

Connor glanced down at her. “What's wrong? Who is it?” When she didn't say anything, he took the phone and put it up to his ear. “Hello? Who is this? Hello?” From her short distance, A'isha heard the signal of a dropped connection.

When Connor handed the phone back, it buzzed again. He answered with no one speaking to him the second time.

"I-It's her,” A'isha whispered. “I recognize her voice.” She shook so hard, Connor had to hold her up. He shuffled her back inside the restaurant door, and they stood in the lobby. A waiter hovered nearby, probably ready to pounce should they run off without paying for their food. Connor flicked up the end of his shirt at his belt and then yanked it down with a sigh of frustration. A'isha imagined he had been about to flash his badge, but remembered he didn't have it anymore. Guilt closed her throat even more.

The cell phone rang for the third time. A'isha stared at Connor, not answering. “What should I do?"

He flipped it open and handed it to her. “Answer. I want to see what she has to say, but I'm here. I'm not going anywhere, so you don't have to be afraid."

"Easier said than done.” She pressed the button to open the connection and lifted the phone to her ear, all the while her stomach churning. The few bites of her food threatened to come spewing back at any second. “Hello?"

"That's better.” It was the same woman. “Now, listen carefully, A'isha. I'm tired of waiting for what I want. The papers. Bring them to me."

"Why should I?” She must be crazy for antagonizing this woman. There was no telling what papers she wanted in the first place, and to act like she knew was a mistake. What choice did she have?

The woman laughed, a hallow sound that sent shivers of fear coursing over A'isha's body. “Bring me the papers that your mother kept for me, A'isha, or I will come for him ... First I will ride him like you enjoy doing in that big bed with the green silk sheets, and then I will kill him slowly."

A'isha screamed. This time, she really did drop the phone. Or rather she ran outside the restaurant and threw it out into the middle of the road. A car passing by crunched it beneath its front tires and kept rolling down the street. She didn't stop screaming until Connor gripped her arms and shook her.

"A'isha, easy! What did she say? Tell me!” He kissed her eyes, her cheeks and her lips so much, she could scarcely get a word out. She broke free of his hold.

"She's been watching us, Connor.” The contents of her mouth spewed from her lips. Connor bent her over the gutter and rubbed her back. When she had caught her breath, she explained between sobs. “She's been watching us have sex. She even knew the color of your sheets. I can't do this. I can't do this! I've never been so scared in my life. Connor, please!"

"Shh. It's okay.” He used a handkerchief he had pulled out from somewhere to wipe her mouth, and then led her back inside the restaurant where he paid their bill. A'isha allowed herself to be led from point to point, her mind too fried to make any decisions of her own for the time being.

Finally, Connor hurried her up the street to the shop. He stood like a sentinel over her while she locked up, and they slipped into his car. A'isha listened with only half her attention to him speaking to Carl on his cell phone. She had always thought she was a strong woman who could handle anything that came her way. Hell, she'd escaped almost on her own from Cammie's killer when she'd been kidnapped. Maybe that was just it. After all of that, along with being the one to find Cammie, the woman was still out there, threatening to hurt Connor.

A'isha glanced over at him. Every part of her was attracted to him. He was patient and kind, sexy, great in bed, a man in uniform. On top of that, he was attracted to her in return, had staked his claim on her. Yet, here was this woman she didn't know coming out of nowhere, wanting to ruin all of that. No! A'isha might be scared mindless, but she couldn't let it happen. She just couldn't. Giving Connor up was not an option. For the first time, she realized why he had jeopardized his job for her.

It had begun in the park, although he probably didn't realize it. That first spark, the first inkling that you'd stumbled on the person who will be the one. Things had moved fast with them, but that wasn't unheard of. She knew of a couple of women who had had it happen that way for them. Here they were fifty years later, still married to the same man and crazy in love. Anyone who thought it couldn't happen, well, they could kiss her ass. She was living it. Or she would. They would overcome this situation. They had to.

At her house, A'isha headed upstairs to shower and change, and dig something out for Connor to wear. While she wasn't small, he was much larger. Her biggest T-shirt stretched across his massive chest and had her wanting to rip it off him to get at his body. But this wasn't the time. He settled on the tee and a sheet wrapped around his narrow hips after his shower while A'isha stuffed his things in the washing machine.

Connor spent his time on the phone with Carl and making other phone calls, while A'isha settled at her desk lamenting the loss of her computer. Playing solitaire and listening to music had always helped her relax. Now that her computer was busted, she had only the music. She had pulled out all her oldies but goodies, and her shoulders were just beginning to ease down an hour after she and Connor arrived at her house.

"Baby, pull up MSNBC really quick. I want to check the news,” Connor said as he paced in the limited space of her bedroom. She was already missing his house. Although she had pulled it up, he'd gone back to his conversation and wasn't paying attention.

A'isha sighed, leaned on one fist and stared unseeing at the headline. Her eyes crossed, and her lids drooped for a moment and then popped open. She sat up straight. “Selena Goode, escaped mental patient, has been spotted near...” A'isha streaked.

Connor was on her in seconds. “What is it? What's wrong?"

A'isha pointed. “Selena Goode,” she whispered.

He squinted at the screen. “Might be a coincidence, but we'll check it out.” He spoke into the phone. “Carl, the escape mental patient ... yeah ... you've heard about her, good. Listen, we found that name, Selena, on a cookbook at A'isha's shop. See if there's any connection between the two. Just in case, I think I'm going to go down to the hospital where she escaped from and see if I can find anything out there. I can't sit here twiddling my thumbs. She's getting antsy, and I'm afraid of what she'll do next."

A'isha was getting antsy herself. When Connor disconnected the call, she spoke up. “I'm going with you."

"A'isha...” The warning in his tone let her know they were about to disagree. His cell interrupted. “Yeah!” he barked into the phone, and then his blue eyes widened, the color leaving his cheeks. “Jill."

This time when he hung up, he said nothing. She dared to ask. “What's up?"

"My sister.” He shook his head in disbelief. “My sister, the one I told you hasn't spoken to me in years?"

She flicked an eyebrow up at him. “The
only
one?"

"Yeah. She's sitting outside at my house right now.” He ran his hands through his hair. “Damn, this is a day, huh? Come on, baby, pack a bag with some changes of clothes so you can stay at my place. Are my clothes dry? I don't want to see my sister after so long dressed in a sheet."

A'isha grinned. “Funny."

The drive over to Connor's house was done in silence. A'isha tried massaging Connor's shoulders, but the tension there seemed determined to stay.

When they pulled up to his driveway, a black BMW was already parked in it. The woman had money, or her husband did. Connor took his time getting out, as did Jill. A'isha studied her. She was the spitting image of her brother, except with longer hair dyed almost red and the curves of a woman. The dark rings around her eyes spoke their own story. Something told A'isha Connor had been right, and after all this time, Jill knew it too.

He strolled up to her, and they met at the back end of her car. Like two childhood playmates, they held hands and touched foreheads. Jill was almost as tall as Connor.

"Well, sis?” he asked.

She didn't answer. Her bottom lip quivered, and her cheeks were flushed, but her eyes were dry. A'isha wondered what the woman did for a living and remember Connor had said she was an accountant. She was tough that was apparent.

"We should move inside,” A'isha suggested. She tugged her bag out of the trunk, but Connor hurried to grab it from her. When he had gathered Jill's as well, they all trouped into the house. A'isha reached for her suitcase. “I'll give you two some time to talk."

"No, wait.” Connor pulled her to his side. “Jill, this is A'isha. She's staying with me."

"Oh.” Jill's mouth grew round. “I don't know what I was thinking. I can stay in a hotel. I don't want to get in the way."

"Why should you be in the way? I have two extra bedrooms. I just wanted you to meet her and for her to meet you.” He sighed. “If it makes you feel more comfortable, we can talk in private, but at this point, I'm not keeping anything from her.” A'isha shook at the import of his words. He was serious. How many women searched for a man who would have no problem committing? It scared her, sure, but it was also exhilarating.

"More than a lover then,” Jill commented. Neither A'isha nor Connor said anything more. Jill twisted her fingers together. “I'm okay with you telling her, but I'm so embarrassed."

"Say no more.” A'isha held up her hands. She patted Jill's arm. “I'm glad to meet you. I'll be in the bedroom. And don't worry. You look like a really strong person. I believe you can pull through whatever you're dealing with."

"Thank you, A'isha.” Jill pulled her in for a quick hug, before A'isha walked back to Connor's bedroom.

While she cleared space for her things inside Connor's dresser drawer, she heard yelling and paused. Connor was fussing at his sister. She stood to go demand he show a little sensitivity but stopped. This situation was none of her business, and at least the two of them were speaking again after so long. Still she couldn't help overhearing their conversation with the elevated voices.

"I warned you, Jill,” Connor yelled. “Now you see the truth after all these years. And you want to have his baby?"

"I have no choice. I'm pregnant. I didn't know I was going to walk in on him and his lover!"

A'isha cringed. That hurt like hell under any circumstances. To find out her man wanted another man instead of her was a worse blow. Then again, maybe he went both ways.

"You knew, damn it! You knew, but you didn't want to see the signs.” Connor's voice was tight with emotion. A'isha couldn't figure out why he was so angry. He should be relieved that his sister had finally seen the truth.

"Some of us can't have kids, and you have a baby with an asshole who couldn't give a flying fuck one way or the other. I don't understand you, Jill. I just don't get it!"

A'isha dropped the blouse she held in her hands and sank down to her knees on the carpet. Shock flooded her system. Connor's words replayed in her mind over and over.
"Some of us can't have kids ... “
Could he mean him? He couldn't have kids?

She and Connor were nowhere near talking about having children together, but after they were deep in love with one another was not the time to do it either. Now, when maybe she could think about it with a clear head, he should have told her. With all that was happening, he would not have found the time. Still, overhearing it wasn't a great way to find out.

The front room had gone quiet. Feeling eyes on her, A'isha glanced up. Connor stood in the doorway. “You heard?"

She nodded.

"We'll talk. I promise,” he said. “I should have said something, but I wasn't sure if you and I..."

"I know."

"When I get back. I would like to get down to that hospital before it gets too late."

"I understand. Go.” She sighed. “I'll be here when you get back."

[Back to Table of Contents]

Connor didn't know what to expect when he drove down to City Hospital two towns over. What he found terrified and shocked him. He prayed Carl would find out what the connection was between Selena and A'isha's mother.

"Detective Pierce?"

He turned from surveying Selena's hospital mates walking along the sanitarium's paths outside the office window. “Yes?"

The administrator held out the envelope he had been searching for in a file cabinet. “This is what we found hidden in Selena's room. They're recipes. I thought they were not important, but didn't want to dispose of them for when she is found. But something made me go back over them last night."

Connor took the offered folder and flipped through the sheets. He didn't see anything of interest on a glance either. “What did you find?"

The man dropped down in his chair, weariness making his facial skin appear gray. “Page twelve, second recipe. Read it."

"Cinnamon, sugar...” Connor stopped, his blood running cold. He blinked several times, hoping his mind was playing tricks on him, fearing it wasn't. “Antimony. Where the fuck would she get antimony?"

"That, detective, is what I would like to know. We supply the ingredients for our patients who enjoy cooking. Some of the counselors feel it is therapeutic for them to bake or help out with making meals for the others. They are kept under strict watch, and no patient exhibiting tendencies toward violence to themselves or others are allowed in the program. Until she escaped, Selena had been on her best behavior, never causing trouble."

"Did you find anyone with symptoms matching antimony poisoning?"

The man shook his head. “Not a one. I have to think she either didn't get to use the poison or never intended to use it here before she escaped."

Connor closed his eyes, thinking. Rather than jump to conclusions, his habit was to think through each and every possible direction a killer might take, to think like him or her. After, or even during, that process, he took things one step at a time, working his way through the killer's steps. “What I need to know is, did she at any time make this recipe, if she ever had any visitors and who among the patients and staff were closest to her. I need this information ASAP."